Check and closer for door or the like



Dec. 2, 1958 c. F. zAPPoNE ET Al. 2,862,228

CHECK AND CLOSER FOR DOOR OR THE LIKE 2 Sheets-Sheet `1 Filed Nov. 8, 1954 ,In mm INVENToRs Charles F. Zuppone 8x James P. Ebersberger Dec. 2, 1958 C. F. ZAPPONE ET AL CHECK AND CLOSER FOR DOOR OR THE LIKE 2 sheets-sheet 2 Filed Nov. 8, 1954 United States Patent CHECK AND CLOSER FOR DOOR OR THE LIKE Charles F. Zappone and .lames P. Ebersberger, Greensburg, Pa., assignors to Zappone Engineering Company, Greensburg, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application November 8, 1954, Serial No. 467,352

Claims. (Cl. 16-51) This invention relates to a spring check and closer for a door or the like. More particularly, this invention pertains to a compact new check and closer which will t into a relatively small space and will pull such a door or other closure member into position at a predetermined rate when the door or other closure member is released.

A common form of door check and closer heretofore used is relatively massive and usually uses a torque spring. The failure of such a torque spring occasioned a corresponding failure of such prior checks. In many cases the force of such prior door checks was exerted through a compound or knee-action link. As a consequence, the installation thereof has generally required the use of a template. Moreover, such an installation often involved considerable adjustment to ready such door check for action. In numbers of cases, the size of such door checks has prevented their use in narrow spaces such as the space which exists in a doorway between a prime door and a storm or screen door. Hence, there was also the problem of unsightliness.

In the new closer of this invention which may be used with a door or other closure member, the foregoing disadvantages of prior practices have been overcome. Our new closer is compact and relatively small. Indeed, it is sufficiently small to t unobtrusively between a storm or screen door and the door in a house or other building immediately inwardly of such storm or screen door. The installation of our new closer is easy and may be made readily regardless of whether the door to which it is to be attached is a right-hand or a left-hand door. In addition our new closer has relatively few parts and is comparatively simple to fabricate with consequent savings in manufacturing and handling costs.

Othervobjects and advantages of our invention will be apparent from the following description and from the accompanying drawings, which are illustrative only, in which Figure 1 is a view in elevation of one embodiment of our new check and closer in closed position;

Figure 2 is a View similar to Figure l with parts of our new check and closer in vertical section;

Figure 3 is a view in elevation and partly in section of the follower shown in the embodiment illustrated in Figures 1 and 2; Y

Figure 4 is an end view taken along line IV--IV of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a plan view showing how our new check and closer may be installed for a left-hand storm door in the space between said storm door and the prime door, said storm door being in closed condition;

Figure 6 is a plan View of the installation shown in Figure 5 with the storm door fully -opened and our new check and closer in condition to close said storm door when said storm door is released;

Figure 7 is an end view taken along line VII- VII of Figure 5;

' Figure 8 is a detail view in elevation of the installation shown in Figures 5 to 7;

' 35 located in said recess 34.

ICC

Figure 9 is a schematic view in plan with interior parts of the iluid cylinder shown in Figure 5 in closed position;

Figure 10 is a schematic view in plan of such parts shown in Figure 9 in the course of a door opening operation;

Figure ll is a schematic view in plan showing interior parts of the uid cylinder of our new closer when the storm door is fully opened as shown in Figure 6;

Figure 12 is a schematic view in elevation and partly in section of interior parts of the Huid cylinder of our new check and closer in the course of a closing operation while the storm door is returning from its position as shown in Figure 6 towards a closed position as shown in Figure 5;

Figure 13 is a schematic view in plan of interior parts of a fluid cylinder of our new check and closer in closed position for atachment to a right-hand storm door door- Way;

Figure 14 is a View of a stop, taken along line XIV- XIV of Figure l, which may be used to hold our new check and closer in partially or fully open position; and Figure 15 is a fragmentary view illustrating an operation of such stop when it is utilized to hold our new check and closer and the closure member to which our new check and closer is attached in partially or fully open position.

Referring to the embodiment of our new closer for a door or the like which is illustrated in the drawings, a iluid cylinder 10 is provided having a base 11 which may be provided with holes 12 for the attachment of such base and cylinder to a door `jamb 13 between a prime door 14 and a storm door 15 as one example of an installation to which our new closer may be applied. Storm door 15 is hinged to jamb 13 by hinges 16 and is provided with a knob 17 for use in opening storm door 15. When knob 17 is released, our illustrated new closer will return it to closed position as shown in Figure 5.

Cylinder 10 is provided with an axially extending bore 18 surrounded by the cylindrical wall 19, one portion 20 of which may be in the form of a thickened axial rib. The end of cylinder 10 away from-base 11 may be open whereby bore 18 may be made on a drill press for rapid and economical fabrication. -That end may be provided with female pipe threads 21 inwardly of an internal cylindrical sealing surface 22. Threads 21 may be engaged by mating male threads 23 on a cap 24. Cap 24 is provided with a necked portion 25 between its threads 23 and itsvange 26, thereby providing an annular retainer recess for an O-ring 27. Such O-rings may be made in the form of endless rings of a chl-oroprene type rubber like neoprene for sealing purposes.

Rib portion 20 may be drilled to provide an axially extending` passage 28 having a branch 29 and a `further branch 30 respectively connecting the intermediate and cap end portions of bore 18. Passage 28 is provided with a threaded portion 31 extending to the connection between passage 28 and branch passage 30. An orice screw 32 has a threaded portion 33 which mates with thread 31. Screwr32 has a circumferential recess 34 which lits into a recess in rib portion 20 and seals passage 28 and the branches 29 and 3l) from communication with the outside of cylinder 10 by means of an O-ring In addition, O-ring 35 provides enough friction to hold orifice screw 32 in its adjusted position. Hence, when end 36 of screw 32 restricts the opening between passage 28 and branch passage 30 to the desired extent, it will permit Aour new closer to close a door like storm door 15 without snapping or slamming it shut. If desired, a set screw may be utilized through the wall of'cylinder 10 to bear against screw 32 and bind it in preselected adjustment position regulating the orifice opening between passage 28 and its branch passage'30.

A slidable follower '37 is provided to fit and slide in bore 18. Follower 37 is provided with a cylindrical valve head 38 and a cylindrical guide head 39, said heads being connected by a web 40 in rigidly fixed relation to one another. Cylindrical head 39 is provided with by-pass openings 41 of sufficient size and area to permit a hydraulic fluid like oil to relatively rapidly pass from one side of head 39 to the other when follower 37 is moved axially in bore 18, said bore 18 being normally filled with such a hydraulic liquid.

In the illustrated embodiment, cylindrical head 38 is provided with an annular recess 42 for an O-ring 43 which may be made of meoprene. Hence, as follower 37 slides in bore 18, hydraulic liquid is prevented from flowing from one side of head 38 to the other past the outer periphery of head 38 because of the Asliding seal provided by O-ring 43. A hole 44 extends axially through head38 from one side to the other, said hole being counterbored to a greater diameter in portion 45 thereof. vCounterbore 45 is provided with a ball check valve 46 movable in portion 45 and adapted to seat at the junction portion of 45 with the remaining narrower opening 44, as shown in Figure 3. When ball 46 is seated,'it prevents uid flowing from the cap end side of head 38 to the web end side of head 38. A pin 47 may be used as an insert to keep ball 46 in recess 45. If desired, a retainer spring 48 may be provided between pin 47 and ball 46 to bias ball 46 toward its seated position at the junction of portions 45 and 44 of the hole extending through head 38.

Web 40 is provided with a transverse channel 49 which is engaged by an eccentric 50. Eccentric 50 is a part of a crank lever 51 having a stern 52 adapted to be rotated, thereby providing through eccentric 50 axially sliding movement in bore 18 of follower 37.

Wall 19 is provided with an opening 53 which opening may be surrounded by an external boss 54. Opening 53 is threaded to engage a guide bushing 55 having in turn a central opening 56 through which stern 52 extends. Between the threads on bushing 55 and a flange 57, an O-ring 58 `is retained. O-,ring 58 may be made of neoprene and seals the space between guide bushing 55 and the internal surface of boss 54. In addition, stem 52 may be provided with a necked portion 59 to serve as a retainer recess for a similar O-ring 60 to seal the space between central opening 56 of bushing 55 and the outside of stem 5 2. In this Way, hydraulic liquid filling bore 18 cannot escape since the O-rings 27, 35, 58 and 60 provide effective and economical sealing, while at the same time permitting the operative turning required of stem 52 and such adjustment turning as may be required of orifice screw 3,2. Lever 51 may be an integral piece with the eccentric 50 at its lower end, a stem 52 and a square end 61 at the upper end of stem 52. End 61 may be drilled to provide a hole 62 for a cotter pin 63 to retain a bracket 64 having a square hole 65 therethrough so that angular movement of bracket 64 will produce a corresponding angular movement of stem 52 and eccentric 50 around the axis of lever 51.

In the embodiment shown, a spring rod 66 is rigidly connected to bracket 64 as by means of being screwed thereinto at the end nearest said bracket. Spring rod 66 is in telescoping relation with a casing 67 which extends beyond the opposite end 68 of spring rod 66. A helical compression spring 69 is provided surrounding spring rod 66 and positioned between it and the inside of casing 67. Casing 67 has its end 70 nearer to bracket 64 swaged in a tapering manner whereby it acts as a retainer for the adjoining end of spring 69. A washer 71 is provided around spring rod 66 at end 68 thereof to act as a retainer for the other end of spring 69. Upon being assembled, washer 71 may be retained in place by lugsV 72 formed, for example, by displacing the metal of said rod with a punch. Thus, rod 66 and casing 67 are relatively slidable telescoping members which comprise an extensible connector biased towards its shortest length by spring 69.

The other end 73 of casing 67 may also be swaged around the base part of an arm 74. Arm 74 has a hole 75 drilled therein for pivotal connection to a fitting 76 by means of a cotter pin 77 extending through the hole 75 and registering openings in the ears 78 of the fitting 76. The face of fitting 76 is provided with two holes 79 whereby our new closer may be affixed to a door, like storm door 15, as shown in Figure 5, or to some other kind of closure member to be operated by our new closer.

If desired, a removable slidable stop 80 may be placed on spring rod 66 between bracket 64 and casing end 70. As shown in Figure 14, stop 80 may be provided with a top member 81 pivotally connected to base 82, the opening therebetween being large enough to enable the stop to be hung from rod 66. Member 81 and base 82 may be pivotally connected as shown in Figures 14 and l5, a removable bolt being positioned in registering openings on one side of member 81 and base 82, as shown, so that upon the removal thereof, member 81 can be opened and stop Si) detached from spring rod 66. In side elevation, stop 80 is L-shaped with the base 82 so shaped and of sufficient length as to engage the taper on casing end 70, as shown in Figure 15, whenever it may bedesired to hold our new closer in fully or partially open position. That is, if when the spring rod and casing members 66 and 67 are separated by relative movement thereof away from each other in the course of an open or opening condition, the arcuate inner face 83 of member 81 and the underlying arcuate recess in base 82 loosely fit spring rod 66 to permit stop l80 to be slid along rod 66 into engagement with casing end 70. Such en.- gagernent with casing end 70 will tilt base 82 to cause arcuate inner face 83 and the underlying recess in base 82 to press against rod 66. Thereby, the spring rod 66 is gripped to keep the members 66 and 67 in that spread apart position until released. Release of stop 80 is readily provided by withdrawing casing end 70 therefrom slightly by extending members 66 and 67 a little farther apart whereupon stop 80 can readily be slid along rod 66 to return it to its normal inoperative position adjoiningthe bracket 64. Or, when stop 80 is so released, top member 81 can be opened as shown in chain outline in Figure 14 to enable stop 80 to be slipped off spring rod 66, as desired.

In assembling the casing and spring rod members with spring 69, casing end 73 lmay be left unswaged until a sub-assembly comprising rod 66 with its lugs 72 and with washer 71 and spring 69 thereon is passed through the unswaged end 73 into casing 67 until the threaded end of rod 66 emerges through the swaged casing end 70. Thereupon, bracket 64 can be axed to the threaded end of spring rod 66. After the sub-assembly of rod 66, washer 471 and spring 69 vis in place, the base of arm 74 -is inserted in the unswaged casing end 73 to the position shown in Figure 2 whereupon casing endl 73 is swaged over such basen to complete one mode of a convenient assembly of that part of our new closer.

In installing our new closer, for example, on a lefthand storm door, such as door 15, base 11 is fastened to jamb 13 as shown in Figures 5 to 8. No template is needed and the position of eccentric 50 is as shown -in Figure 9, for the illustrated embodiment, when door 15 is closed. In closed position, casing 67 and spring rod 66 are in fully `telescoping relation due to the force exerted by compression spring 69, as shown in Figure 2. If door 14 is opened, screws may be inserted through the holes 79 in fitting 76 to fasten the outer end of our new closer to door 15. Such screws will be wood screws in the event that door 15 is a wood door and may be sheet metal screws in the event that door 15 is a metal door.

If desired, a plate 84 may be screwed to the lintel 85 of the doorway in which door 15 is mounted. Plate 84 is provided with a hole 86 to engage a chain 87 extending between said plate 84 and an eye on our new closer adjacent fitting 76. Thus, the eye in cotter pin 77 may be utilized for such chaining purpose. The chain 87 and plate 84 are not required but may be utilized where it is desired to provide an additional measure to keep a strong wind from endeavoring to blow a door, such as door 15, beyond its fully opened position as shown in Figure 6.

In operation, the turning and pulling of knob 17 to open door 15 from the closed position shown in Figure 5 toward the fully opened position shown in Figure 6 rotates stem 52 of crank lever 51 in a counter-clockwise position from its closed position shown in Figure 9. Thereby, the distance `between bracket 64 and fitting 76 is lengthened causing the casing and spring rod members 67 and 66 to move apart, thereby compressing spring 69 between washer 71 and casing end 70 within casing 67. Such rotation of stem 52 swings eccentric 50 in channel 49 thereby moving follower 37 from its closed position shown in Figure 9 toward the base end of bore 18. This is illustrated in Figure 10 where door 15 is about half open inthe course of an opening operation. In such an opening operation, hydraulic liquid moves from the right-hand side of head 39 to the left-hand side freely and relatively rapidly through the openings 41. Similarly, hydraulic liquid moves from the right-hand side of head 38 to the left-hand side thereof in bore 18 relatively freely and rapidly due to the unseating of check valve 46 against the pressure of spring 4S if such a spring is used. Some hydraulic liquid may also vent during an opening movement of follower 37 through passage 28 and the restricted orifice therein leading to `branch passage 30. Consequently, a person can open door rapidly without meeting any material resistance from our new closer until the door is fully open when spring 69 is under maximum compression.

When door 15 is in a partially or fully opened position and then it is released, spring 69 will immediately exert a force to return casing 67 and spring rod 66 to fully telescoping position. That return force of spring 69 will be exerted moreover even if spring 69 in casing 67 should chance to break. Thereby, the force of spring 69 will cause door 15 to be pulled shut and restored to its closed position shown in Figure 5. In such closing, our new closer will not slam the door shut, since the force exerted by spring 69 is regulated and controlled by the fluid cylinder 10 and the follower 37 therein. Thus, in the course of a closing operation due to the pull `exerted as a consequence of the closing force derived from spring 69, follower 37 will move from right to left in bore 18, as shown in Figure 12. lf door 15 had been fully opened, the position of eccentric 50 in bore 18 would be as shown in Figure ll for the illustrated embodiment. During closure, as follower 37 moves to the left, as shown in Figure 12, hydraulic liquid will freely pass from the left side of head 39 to the right side thereof through the openings 41. However, follower 37 cannot snap to the left nor can eccentric 50 spring back to the initial position shown in Figure 9 because hydraulic liquid -on the left-hand side of head 38 can only move to the right-hand side of head 38 through the preselected orifice provided between end 36 of orifice screw 32 and the opening of branch passage 30 into passage 28.

Thus, when door 15 is about half closed under the pull of our new closer, the position of mechanism in bore 18 will be as schematically shown in Figure l2, the dotted arrow 88 indicating the direction of movement of follower 37 and arrow 89 indicating the clock- Wise movement of stem 52 and eccentric 50 in moving follower 37 to the left. Check valve 46 is seated to close the hole 44 and such seating will take place due to the pressure of hydraulic liquid on the left-hand side of head 38 whether or not a spring 48 is used. As a consequence, under the steady pull caused by the pressure of spring 69, door 15 will close at a regulated rate without banging or slamming or snapping to closed position. The rate of closure movement of door 15 due to our new closer can be increased by increasing the size of the oriice between passage 28 and branch passage 30 by unscrewing end 36 to increase that orice size. Conversely, the rate of closing can be slowed down by screwing orifice screw inwardly to cause end 36 thereof to decrease the orifice at the opening between passages 28 and 30.

Although the operation has been described in connection with a left-hand door, such as storm door 15, our new closer is equally applicable to right-hand doors. In the course of installation on a right-hand door, base 11 would be attached to a jamb corresponding to jamb and bracket 64 would be taken off end 61 so that eccentric 50 might be positioned in closed position as schematically shown in Figure 13 by al movement of about 90 relative to the position shown in Figure 9. Hence, as such a right-hand door is opened, stem 52 would move in a clockwise position with a manner of functioning as that previously described in connection with the opening of door 15. Closing would also take place in a like manner.

Various modifications may be made in the details of our new construction without departing from the spirit of our invention or the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

l. In a closer for a door or the like, a hydraulic liquid cylinder, a follower axially movable in said cylinder, a check valve in said follower to enable said follower to be moved relatively rapidly in one direction and relatively slowly in the opposite direction, a restricted passage in said cylinder having an orifice communicating with a portion of said cylinder at one side of said follower for movement of hydraulic liquid when said follower is moving in said opposite direction, means for regulating the size of said orifice, a crank lever engaging said follower to move it in said one direction when a door or the like is opened and in said opposite direction when said door or the like is being pulled closed, coaxial spring rod and casing members respectively attached to said door or the like and said lever, said members having their adjacent ends overlapping and being movable only in said coaxial relation with respect to one another, a spring retainer positioned on said adjacent end of said spring rod, a swaged portion closing said adjacent end of said casing to act as a further spring retainer, and a spring positioned in retained relation between said first-named spring retainer and said swaged portion, said spring surrounding said spring rod and being within said casing, whereby said spring is decreased in length as said door or the like is opened and acts to move said door or the like to closed position when said door or the like is released.

2. In a closer for a door or the like, a iiuid cylinder, a follower movable axially in said cylinder and having cylindrical heads, a web connecting said heads, said cylinder being provided with a passage having .an adjustable orice connecting portions Vof said cylinder at opposite sides of one of said heads, a transverse channel in said web, an eccentric engaging said transverse channel, a stem connected to said eccentric, said stem being adapted to be rotated to axially move said follower in said cylinder, a spring rod connected to said stern outside of said cylinder, a casing surrounding said spring rod, a compression spring having its ends respectively retained by one end of said casing and by one end of said spring rod, said spring rod and casing being in axially movable relation to one another with said respective ends overlapping, means for connecting said casing to a door or the like, whereby if said doorv is released .when open, said spring will move said spring. rod'. and. casing V.toward .one another in increasingoverlapping coaxial relation to pull saiddoor or the like toward closed position at a rate regulated by the flow of Huid through said orice.

3. In a closer for a door or the like, a fluid cylinder, a follower movable axially in said cylinder and having cylindrical heads, a web connecting said heads', said cylinder being provided with a passage having an adjustable orifice connecting portions of said cylinder at opposite sides of one of said heads, a transverse channel in said web, an eccentric engaging said transverse channel, a stem connected to said eccentric, said stem being adapted to be rotated to axially move said follower in said cylinder, a spring rod aixed to said stem outside of said cylinder to move said stem angularly as said spring rod is moved angularly, a casing having one end closely surrounding said spring rod, an arm closely surrounded and thereby retained in the other end of said casing, a fitting pivotally connected to said arm, a compression spring surrounding said spring rod and retained between the end of said spring rod within said casing and said end of said casing closely surrounding said spring rod, and a stop adapted to grip said spring rod when engaged by said end of said casing closely surrounding said spring rod.

4. In a closer for a door or the like having a frame, a hydraulic liquid cylinder, a cylindrical follower movable in said cylinder, a lever extending through a side of said cylinder, said lever engaging said follower inside of said cylinder, means for permitting said lever to move said follower relatively rapidly in one direction during opening of said door and relatively slowly in the opposite direction during closing -of said door, an extensible connector having at least two parts axially slidable only relative to one another, one end of said connector being pivotally connected to said door and the other end of said connector being pivotally connected to said frame, one of said ends being so connected by rigid attachment thereof to said lever, and a spring interposed between said parts to bias them toward each other to shorten the over-all length of said connector. v

5. In a closer. for. a door or the like having a frame, a hydraulic liquid cylinder, a cylindrical follower movable in said cylinder, said follower having spaced heads rigidly connected to each other, a rotatable lever extending through a side of said cylinder, said lever engaging said follower inside of said cylinder between said heads, check valve means for permitting said lever to move said follower relatively rapidly ir1 a door opening direction, an orice for permitting said lever to move said follower relatively slowly in a door closing direction, an extensible connector having telescoping members coaxially slidable only relative to one another, a spring interposed bey tween said telescoping members to bias them toward each other to shorten the over-all length of said connector, one telescoping member having the end thereof .farther from the other telescoping member pivotally connected to said door, said other telescoping member having the end thereof farther from said one telescoping"` member pivotally connected to said frame, one of said telescoping members being so connected by rigid attachment thereof to said lever, whereby said closer may be attached when desired between inner and outer doors hinged to said frame for operative connection to one of said doors.

766,386 893,991 Fairhall July 21, 1908 980,836 Regan Ian. 3, 1911 UNITED STATES PATENT oEEICE (ERTIFICATE OF C0]?RECTIOl\I Patent No., 2,862228 December 2, 1958 Charles F. Zappone et al.,

It is hereb;certf`ied that error appears in the-printed specification of the above numred patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should rel as corrected below.

Column 2, lne 5l, for Hneoprene" read -m Neoprene column 3,

line l5, for HmepreneH read Neoprene line 44, for HneopreneH read Neoprene Signed and:ealed this 24th day of March 1959.

SEAL) ttest:

KARL H. AXLINE ROBERT C. WATSON Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

